Niewsbrief

The eviction ticker (English translation)

Read here the timeline of the eviction of Amsterdam social center Op de Valreep.

SUMMARY:
The Valreep never got the chance to present our plans to the city council and the project developer OCP, even though we have an investor and a valid business plan. The Valreep could have survived without any subsidy but apparantly has to be replaced by yet another yuppie cafe.

The riot cops needed thirteen hours today to evict social centre Op de Valreep. The bustling, independent neighbourhood initiative has existed for almost three years without any subsidy and with volunteers only. Probably 16 people have been arrested in total. People were locked on top of and in the building in lockons, big barrels filled up with concrete. Update: 16 people have been released!

TICKER:Wednesday 18th June 2014

It appears that all the people arrested at the Valreep eviction are now released from custody. However, it is unfortunately still slightly unclear precisely how many people were arrested during the eviction. So if you still miss a friend or a housemate and think they might have been arrested, please contact the Arrestantengroep! (0642413496)

18:48 Listen again to the interview on Amsterdam FM (dutch language)18:21 Again two people have been RELEASED!15:08 The last two people are still inside the jail complex15:06 Just a second ago another person has been RELEASED!14:15 Another arrestee RELEASED!09:00 Some people are still detained

Tuesday 17th June 201402:12 It seems like the other arrestees have to stay the night in the jail complex. For the moment we will stop the live ticker. Tomorrow we will keep you up to date, as soon as there is new information00:51 Some people remain in jail00:49 The arrestees thank everyone who responded to our call out for a noise demo. Using pots and lids and by yelling slogans, dozens of sympathisers have made as much noise as possible at the jail complex Flierbosdreef to provide moral support for the arrestees23:38 Again seven arrestees have beenRELEASED! 12 people in total!23:20 Another four arrestees RELEASED!22:05 The first arrestee is RELEASED!

20:05The sun no longer shines in the east. After thirteen hours of peaceful resistance from our side, our last two heroes have been cut loose! YOU ARE FAN-TAS-TIC!!!19:53 Another ARRESTEE

19:44 While the sun slowly sets in the East, the riot cops are nonetheless still trying to angle grind loose our heros19:15 The riot cops have now been busy for over twelve hours evicting social centre Op de Valreep19:00 Earlier today a steadfast hero stood alone on the barricade on the bridge (see movie of 14:53). He was kettled by riot cops and couldn’t go anywhere. Or could he? The team on the raft sailed under the second bridge, took him aboard and quickly sneaked out! The cops were left with their trousers round their ankles!18:46 The riot cops resuming. There are still people locked on inside the building18:08 They’re currently building the Berlin Wall, the whole terrain is being fenced off with a double layer of building fencing18:04 More and more people are coming watch from the other side of the water. Many of the people are from the neighbourhood. Viva the Valreep!

18:00 The caravans are being destroyed using the digger. The caravan with the painting of Brutus had to go as well

17:56 A digger has arrived to demolish the constructions on the terrain17:32 The riot cops take a break17:20 The terrain has been closed off with building fences

17:17 Someone jumped into the water to be able to address the cops. Bonus points!17:15SUMMARY: The riot cops have now been busy for over ten hours evicting social centre Op de Valreep, a vibrant and independent neighbourhood initiative that has been running for nearly three years without subsidies and with just volunteers. There are at least 14 detainees. There are still people chained to the property.17:11 Op de Valreep wins award for most succesfull participation project… and is being evicted straight after by the government. Read the (dutch) article here

16:52 The riot cops have car trouble. Two vans stand nose to nose with the hoods open16:19 Currently measures are being taken in order to light the terrain at night16:09 Meanwhile the riot cops tenaciously angle grind the lockons to remove the people16:08 The solidarity is tremendous, there is still residents and supporters from across the city coming and going. Thank you everyone!

15:15 A few vans from Securitas (private security) drive onto the terrain15:11 Up to now an estimated 14 people have been ARRESTED

14:53 We received this video around 12 o’clock: For hours someone remained steadfastly on the barricade on top of the bridge. But the bridge has now been emptied. What happened to this person?14:33 The Valreepers are still heroically standing while riot cops try to cut them loose with angle grinders

13:45 Riot cops are still hard at work13:45SUMMARY: The riot cops have now been busy for over five and a half hours evicting social centre Op de Valreep, a vibrant and independent neighbourhood initiative that has been running for nearly three years without subsidies and with just volunteers. There are at least 10 detainees. There are still people chained to the property.13:26 Two ARRESTEES have been brought outside12:45 In several places the door and window frames of the listed building have been torn off, at both the lower and upper levels.12:38 Numerous riot cops are still inside the building12:04 The barricade on the bridge is being removed11:54 One person was ARRESTED, beautifully decked out in a tiger suit11:30 Two more people have been ARRESTED11:08 The two people who were chained onto the chimney have been cut loose and removed from the roof in the shipping container11:01 Sympathisers shout: “You cannot evict ideals, squatting will continue!”10:43 The helicopter continues to circle above the Valreep10:34 The shovel, onto which a battering ram has been attached, is now also located on the side of the neighbourhood gardens10:35 Riot cops try to enter the building from the side of the neighbourhood gardens10:15 Riot cops demolish chimney of the listed building10:09 There are still dozens of supporters and involved local residents at the Valreep to show support for the people on the premises

10:05 The shipping container on the crane hangs next to the roof where two people have locked onto the building. Hopefully the riot cops will work carefully this time10:00SUMMARY: Riot cops have been busy for roughly three hours, there are 5 arrestees. A barrel of concrete onto which people were locked on has been pushed off a roof approximately 4 metres high roof by a fork lift. These people were able to break free just in time. It would have been very easy for injuries to occur at this point09:58 The shipping container hovers above the roof of the Valreep09:55 A crane lifts the shipping container into the air09:38 Riot cops place the shipping container onto the terrain09:34 Sambaband Rythms of Resistance supports squatters from outside with confident beats09:29 Another two squatters ARRESTED09:27 TWO SQUATTERS ARRESTED after their lockon plunges of the roof

09:20 SQUATTERS WERE ABLE TO BREAK FREE JUST IN TIME

09:19 BARREL WITH CONCRETE, WEIGHING HUNDREDS OF KILOS, FALLS OF ROOF

09:18 RIOT COPS USE FORK LIFT TO PUSH BARREL WITH CONCRETE, TO WHICH PEOPLE ARE LOCKED ON TO, OF THE ROOF

08:52 Squatters are in lockons08:42 Riot cops drive on to the site with a trailer containing a small shipping container08:38 People are chained to the building

08:37 Riot cops enter the building08:35 The political establishment is present. Too bad, you’re too late.08:30 More riot cops on the terrain, first arrestee van arrives on the terrain08:25 There are people on the roof08:24 Watercannon drives onto the terrain08:19 The people inside are calmly awaiting the police08:12 The samba band Rhythms of Resistance is still playing supportive tunes!08:09 The riot cops don’t manage to enter the building07:57 Citizens at the gate are summoned to leave, only press can stay07:54FIRST ARRESTEE is taken by riot cops

07:52 Large groups of riot cops are standing on the terrain07:51 Police and riot cop vans drive onto the terrain

07:30 An armoured shovel breaks through the barricade07:15 Police orders squatters to leave the premises07:10 A convoy of riot cop vans and other large equipment drives towards police station Linnaeusstraat07:04 A Helicopter hovers in the air, the first vehicles have been spotted